The Korea Professional Football Players Association emphasized that the minimum annual salary level for new players this year does not even reach the minimum wage.

In a press release on the 12th, Keun-ho Lee, president of the association, said, “The most important issue to be addressed this year is raising the minimum wage for new players.”

Yeom Ki-hoon, vice chairman, also said, “I received a lot of grievances about the issue of the minimum annual salary for new players in professional soccer.” In 2023, the minimum hourly wage has risen by about 65% to 9,620 won, but the minimum wage is at a standstill,” he pointed out.

Currently, as of 2023, based on working 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, approximately 2 million won per month including weekly holiday pay. In terms of annual salary, it is about 24.13 million won.

The association explained, “Currently, new players receive the same wages as the minimum wage set by the Ministry of Employment and Labor.”

Vice Chairman Yeom said, “It’s really unfortunate that players who are just starting out in social life receive money that they can’t even live on.

” Among professional sports, the minimum salary is particularly low.

The minimum annual salary for professional baseball, which was reported to be severely polarized, is 30 million won for professional basketball, 35 million won for professional basketball, and 40 million won for professional volleyball, which is 25% to 66.67% higher than that of professional soccer.

Another case, but singer Kang Min-kyung’s personal company, which was controversial a while ago, has also been criticized socially, and has promised to raise the minimum annual salary from 24 million won to 30 million won.

Hoon-gi Kim, secretary-general of the association, said, “It is time to find a fundamental solution to improve the treatment of low-wage players in order not to cause a decline in the quality of the league.” 안전놀이터

President Kim added, “The Athletes’ Association plans to hold a meeting with the federation secretariat and improving the treatment of low-salary players as a top priority.”